Poisoned Blood
by ashford2ashford
Summary: R-Rated due to Cid! Cloud is missing and seems to be in a dream-like state of green. Cid and Vincent go to find him, with startling revalations in future chapters.


Final Fantasy VII – Poison Kiss – By Ashford2ashford

Disclaimer: If I owned any of the characters, I would be a guaranteed millionaire…but I don't…so I'm still just poor old Ashford!

Pairing(s): I've not actually decided. There's a tiny bit that hints at Cid/Vincent, but that really isn't a pairing considering Cid seems to be straight in this…anyway, I digress, there might be a Cloud/Sephiroth…I still haven't decided.

Rating: R…so there…

Other things: I hope this proves to be to the audience's satisfaction of an action based Final Fantasy Fic…

…

…

Sitting there in the kitchen, a cigarette in hand, a frown on his face, an ashtray by his side full to the brim with burnt out cigarette butts, and his gaze fixed on one corner of the room, Cid Highwind stared intently at Vincent Valentine, ever waiting, ever watching. Vincent stared back, wordlessly pleading with the older-looking male to end their silence, for he could not.

The smaller of the two muttered an inaudible curse under his breath and stubbed out the cigarette in his hand, finally stretching, cat-like, for the first time in a few wordless hours. His greying blonde hair shook itself off like the mane of a lion, and then the shoulders sagged, slumped downwards, sloping, as they always did.

"He's not coming." The voice was harsh, jarring, rough, with a deep rumbling purr that sounded just out of earshot in the back of the throat.

Vincent Valentine looked up and then shrugged, no words passing his soft pink lips. A knot of dread churned in his stomach, the familiar warmth of fear glistening in the moisture lining the red cloth, torn and wrapped around his forehead. His raven locks neither moved nor blew in the breeze that was seeping in from the open window, his body was a statue, frozen solid, never moving, standing and observing someone or something.

The other male growled again and rubbed at the stubble underneath his chin, his glaring azure eyes regarding the taller, crimson-eyed gaze. The other hand stuck at the hip, fingers relaxed.

"Where is he? He said he'd meet us here. Where the hell is he?" Panic rose in the dragon-like growl and then one hand slammed with frustration on the table in front of him, "WHERE IS HE???"

…

…

It was dark…

And cold…

And wet…

And getting hard to breathe…

There was fluid in his eyes, his ears, his nose, his mouth, his body, and enveloping his body…

For the first time in his life, unable to see of hear, eyes staying shut like the pathetic little kitten that mewls when first born, Cloud Strife was terrified.

Fear registered in his mind slowly at first, upon waking, but then had developed into panic, and finally terror, when he realised that much like the newborn kitten he was also helpless…and when he was helpless…he was very much afraid.

He tried to struggle, to scream, to even move, but found his whole body, his whole mind, numbed and paralysed by an unknown force, an unknown drug maybe? His mind screamed for him, his own screams sounding in his head and never stopping.

One first reaction might have been to realise that he wasn't breathing either, or rather he was but tubes were helping. Instead of his usual rising and falling of the chest, instead of his mouth and muscles doing the work, a tube was inserting itself into both lungs and breathing for him…an odd feeling…but also a very much unpleasant one…

It was like being trapped in everlasting darkness…

He was afraid…

…

…

"I'm calling Tifa!"

"What good will that – "?

"She might know something!"

"What might she kn-?"

"She saw him last after all!"

"Are you listening?"

Cid Highwind was frantic, his hands darting through a pile of scrap metal and paper work. His gloved hands wrenched away metal, threw away paper, tore through wood, and he was swearing…swearing and ignoring sound advice coming from behind him.

Vincent Valentine occasionally tried to calm the enraged pilot, a few whispered words being spoken in a voice that fluttered from parted lips with a feeling like a butterfly's wing beat. His voice was soft and calm and collective…very much unlike his friend…

"Looking for this?"

Cid spun around. Vincent was dangling the PHS system in front of his face, something resembling a smile playing on the darker figure's face, but Cid could never be sure.

Mumbling something about "show offs" and "cocky son of a – " he snatched the system from the golden claw of Vincent and then frowned, before smiling gently.

"Well…at least you're paying attention."

Vincent allowed himself a small smile in reply and then nodded.  
"Someone has to look after you, Highwind." He whispered to himself, watching as the gruff pilot punched in a number and sat on a kitchen stool waiting for the person on the other end to pick up, "And if it is not the spirit of every Dragoon, then it is me."

"Yeah? Is that Tifa? Hey! It's Cid! You guessed? How? (Vincent even chuckled at that statement) Well, straight to business then. Have you seen Cloud? What? Not there huh? Well, it's okay. No. He was supposed to me meetin' us. Yeah.  
We were goin' ta see if there was anything left in the Nibelheim mansion after Hojo was there last. No. Vincent lives here. He won't go back there. Yeah. (He covered the receiver with one hand) Tifa says hi. (He turned back to the phone) Well, thanks for listenin' ta me rant ta ya. I'll let ya know if we find him. Yeah. 'Kay. Sure. Bye!"

Cid Highwind sat back on the stool, his eyes fixed on getting a cigarette out of a pack in front of him. He placed it between his lips, lit it, and blew smoke out into the room.

"Shit." Was all he could manage.

…

…

Ashford2ashford: Hopefully not my last fic! A new take on my Cid/Vincent pairing and a new style of writing. Now with added cliff hanger!!! I hope you all enjoy it! I'll give a candy to whoever reviews it! (shameless self promotion, ne?)


End file.
